The invention relates to the field of powder dispensers and more particularly dispensers fitted with a brush used for application of the said powder on a support. In general, the said powder is a cosmetic product and the said support is facial skin.
Powder dispensers provided with a brush are already known, for example like that described in European patent No. 89111474.6 or in American patent No. 4,626,119.
Known dispensers have a number of disadvantages. Thus, the dispenser according to the European patent application No. 89111474.6 comprises a brush fixed to a powder reservoir used as a gripping means, but does not include any means for protecting the brush integrated into the powder reservoir, nor does it include a non-circular shaped dispenser and brush.
Similarly, the dispenser described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,119 comprises a brush that may be filled with powder but it does not contain a powder reservoir fixed to the brush, nor does it include a non-circular shaped dispenser and brush.
The purpose of the invention is an arbitrary shaped powder dispenser, typically non-circular, comprising a brush fixed to a powder reservoir used as a manual gripping means, the said brush and the said reservoir being in communication while the brush is used, and comprising a means of protecting the brush that can be activated manually, activation of this protection means simultaneously cutting off communication between the said brush and the said reservoir.
According to the invention, the powder dispenser comprises a brush fixed to a powder reservoir and in communication with the said reservoir, the said reservoir acting as a manual means of gripping the said dispenser. In this dispenser, the said brush consists of a tuft of hair and a hair holder provided with a first powder supply orifice, the said reservoir that may contain powder comprises a peripheral skirt with an opening that is closed off by a shutter in which there is a second powder supply orifice, and the said brush can be turned manually with respect to the said reservoir to align the said first and second supply orifices so that the said dispenser can be used.
This dispenser is characterized in that:
a) the said reservoir shutter comprises a central duct with a bottom in which the said second orifice is formed,
b) the said tuft holder comprises a lower tubular part with a bottom that comprises the said first orifice, the said lower tubular part cooperating with the said central duct to enable free rotation, and possibly an axial connection between the said tuft holder and the said shutter, an upper tubular part in communication with the said lower tubular part surrounding the said tuft, and a first said skirt fixed to the said lower tubular part or upper tubular part and with a section typically similar to the section of the said reservoir, the said first skirt being located approximately above the said shutter and above the said reservoir in the axial direction, to enable the said free rotation regardless of the shape of the reservoir,
c) it comprises a guide, the said guide comprising a said second skirt coaxial with the said first skirt and that can slide along the said first skirt and outside the said first skirt,
d) the said guide comprises an axial displacement tab, the lower end of which supports a radial pin, and the said central duct supports a typically helical ramp on its outer surface that cooperates with the said pin such that rotation of the said guide, and simultaneous rotation of the said tuft holder with respect to the said shutter or the said reservoir, causes an axial movement of the said guide with respect to the said tuft holder, in order to protect or disengage the said tuft depending on the axial position of the said guide with respect to the said tuft holder.
Thus, the dispenser according to the invention solves all the problems that arise.
The powder dispenser according to the invention may be of any arbitrary shape. It comprises a brush fixed to a powder reservoir used as a manual gripping means, the said brush and the said reservoir being in communication while the brush is being used. It comprises a guide, which is rotated manually to form a means of protecting the brush that can be activated manually, and activating this means of protecting the tuft simultaneously interrupts the communication between the said brush and the said reservoir.